Tube marking machine



March 26, 1963 c. P, TAYLOR TUBE' MARKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 19, 1959 INVENTOR CHARLES R TAYLOR ATTORNEYS.

March 26, 1.963 c. P. TAYLOR 3,082,685

TUBE MARKING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

CQ INVENTOR m n CHARLES P. TAYLOR A TTORNE YS United States Patent3,082,686 TUBE MARKING MACHINE Charles P. Taylor, Belleviile, Ill.,assigner to Ideal Stencil Machine Company, Belleville, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed June 19, 1959, Ser. No. 821,525 Claims.(Cl. 101-37) This invention relates generally to improvements in amarking machine, :and more particularly to an improved device of thistype adapted to mark automatically an` elongate article such as a tube.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a tubemarking device that is capable of marking automatically a great numberof tubes in consecutive order quickly and easily.

An important object is achieved by the provision of an adjustableconnection between the plate mounting the marking wheels which enablesselective adjustment of the position of the marking zone defined by suchwheels and adjustment of an opening through the plate so as to align thezone with the path of travel of the article to be marked as the articleis supported and driven by -feed rollers.

Another important object is realized by a drive means operativelyinter-connecting the feed rollers at one side of the marking zone withat least one roller adjacent the opposite discharge side of the markingzone, the drive means causing certain rollers to push an elongatearticle such as a tube through the marking Zone while causing the rolleron the discharge side of the marking zone to pull the article throughsuch zone.

Yet another important objective is provided by the provision of apressure roll at each side -of the marking zone in the above describedstructural arrangement, each pressure roll being disposed above a driveroll immediately adjacent the marking zone and mounted for adjustmenttoward and away from its coacting drive roller so as to engage the tubetherebetween with a predetermined pressure.

Still another important object is afforded by the provision of .aplurality of marking wheels, preferably three fin the embodimentdisclosed, extending equidistantly about the plate opening and extendinginwardly to engage the tube as it passes therebetween, the markingwheels providing a definite and Iconiined zone -Of marking. Otheradvantages are realized in placing a resilient liner, made of materialsuch as neoprene, on the feed rollers at one side of the marking zone,the liner serving to compensate for any surface irregularities orunevennessl in contour of the tube as the tube engages the markingwheels in passing through the marking zone.

tAnother important object is achieved by mounting the marking wheels onthe plate so that the wheels are adjustable into and out of the plateopening so as to adapt the marking zone for tubes of differentdiameters.

Another important object is realized by the detachable mounting of themarking assembly plate to a fixed positioning member which enablesselective substitution of diierent marking assemblies for variousmarking purposes.

Other important advantages lare realized -by the provision of stop meanson the discharge side of the marking zone adapted to engage the forwardtube end as it is forced out of such zone and adapted to cause seat-`ing of the discharged tube on the supporting rollers. A

3,082,686 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 ICC particularly when considered inAconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a top plan View, partially broken away, of the markingmachine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged side elevational view, partially:broken away, of the marking machine shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary side Velevational view of the lefthand end of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view, partially in cross-section, as seen along line 4-4 inlFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational View of the marking assembly utilized inthe marking machine, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the marking assembly as seen alongline 6--6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, it is seenthat the marking machine includes a -feed support frame generallyindicated at 10 having upwardly convergent legs '11 supporting a pair oflongitudinal channels 12 arranged in back-to-back parallel relation.

A similar type of discharge support frame generally indicated at 13 isaligne-d end-wise with the feed support `frame 10. This dischargesupport vframe 13 includes legs 14 adapted to seat on a supportingsubjacent surface such as a floor and adapted to support another pair oflongitudinal channels 15 in back-to-back parallel relation similar tothe previously mentioned channels 12.

, Another frame, generally indicated at 16, is located intermediate thefeed support frame 10 and the discharge support frame 13. Thisvso-called pressure frame 16 includes a base portion `17 formedsubstantially as a square box coniiguration which underlies the adjacentends of the elongate support frames 10 and l13. It will be noted thatthe adjacent ends `of channels 12 and 15 are spaced apart a shortdistance, as is best seen in FIG.

`2. Further, the pressure .frame 16 includes upstanding cated betweenthe support frames 10 and 13, the plate 23 including flanges Zal-thatinteriit between and are `directly attached to channels 1S by bolts 25.The bottom margin of position-plate 23 is provided with an inturnedledge 26. The position-plate 23 extends upwardly in a vertical positionas is best seen in FIG. 2. An arm 27 is .attached to the top ofposition-plate 23 .and is connected by bolt 30 to one of the top braces21 of the pressure frame 16.

A marking wheel mounting plate 31 is located contiguous to theposition-plate 23. In assembling the mounting plate 31, a vertical key32 forming a part of the position-plate 23 is located in a conformingkeyway slot 33 formed in the rear face of the mounting plate 31. Then,the mounting plate 31 is lowered to seat on the ledge 26.

A pair of bolts 34, best shown in FIG. 5, are carried by theposition-plate 23 and extend through vertical slots formed in themounting plate 31. Knurled nuts 36 are threadedly attached to the bolts34 and are adapted to secure the mounting plate 31 to position-plate 23.It is seen that the vertical position of the mounting plate can beadjusted vertically as permitted by the movement of key 32 in keyway 33and by movement of connecting bolts 34 in vertical slots 35.

The mounting plate 31 is provided with a circular opening 37 alignedwith a similar type of opening formed in position-plate 23 through whichthe article to be marked, such as an elongate tube or pipe, istransported and discharged. As will be apparent upon later descriptionof parts, the marking plate 31 `with its opening 37 constitutes amarking zone.

Disposed equidistantly about opening 37 are a plurality of markingwheels 40 that extend into the opening 37 so as to engage the peripheryof the pipe 41 as the pipe is transported through the marking zone. Inthe embodiment disclosed, there .are three marking wheels 40 arranged in12() degrees spaced relationship about the opening 37 and the pipe 41.

Each of the marking wheels 4t) is rotatively mounted on a carrier block42 slidably mounted in guideways 43. A threaded split collar 44 isattached to the peripheral margin of mounting plate 31 adjacent each ofthe guideways 43, the collar 44 being adapted to receive a threadedadjustment bolt `45. The bolt 45 is journaled in a bearing 46 formed asan integral part of slide block 42, and is secured to the bearing 46 bya nut 47. A spring 50 is located about bolt 45 with one end engaging thebearing 46 and the opposite end engaging a shoulder on bolt 45, thespring 50 tending to hold the slide block 42 in its outermost positionrelative to the bolt 45 yet permitting relative movement under springloading.

With the above described assembly, each of the marking wheels 4t) can beindividually adjusted to determine its extension into the opening 37 andto determine its position relative to the other such marking wheels 40.For example, each marking wheel 40 can be moved into and out of theopening 37 by turning the adjustment bolt 45 in one direction or theother. The amount of extension into the opening 37 can be determinedvisually by the calibrated scale `and pointer arrangement 51 provided oneach unit. The spacing of marking wheels 40 is selectively adjusted toaccommodate a particular size pipe to be fed through the marking zone.The springs 50 of each unit enable the marking wheels 40 to engage theperiphery of the pipe moving through the marking zone with apredetermined marking pressure, .and in addition, to compensate for anysurface irregularity on such pipe 41.

Rotatively mounted on the feed support frame 16 between the channels 15are a plurality of drive rollers 52 arranged in aligned positionlongitudinally of such frame. It will be particularly noted that onesuch drive roller 52 is located on each side of the marking zone. Thismeans that one of the drive rollers 52 is rotatively mounted on thedischarge support frame 13 between channels 15. The drive rollers 52have a V-shape periphery and are provided with a resilient liner aboutthe periphery such liner being composed of a material such as neoprene.

The drive means for the drive rollers 52 includes a drive shaft 53extending longitudinally along one side of rollers 52 and enclosed byhousing 54. As is best seen in FIG. 2, the drive shaft 53 extends acrossthe marking zone to a position adjacent the drive roller 52 on thedischarge side lof the marking zone. A plurality of bevel gears 55 aredrivingly attached to the drive shaft 53, one of such bevel gears 55engaging a cooperating bevel gear 56 fixed to the rotative shaft of eachdrive roller 52.

Mounted on the base frame portion 17 is a motor 57 operatively connectedto the drive shaft 53 by a sprocket- Cil Cil

chain connection 60. Upon operation of motor 57, the sprocket-chainconnection 60 rotates the drive shaft 53 that in turn rotates the driverollers 52 through the meshing gears 55 and 56.

A plurality of positioning arms `61 are bolted to the top of housing 54and arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along one side of thedrive rollers 52. The arms 61 are adapted to engage the elongate tube 41to assist in retaining it on the rollers 52 and assist in guiding suchtube 41 along its path of travel to the marking zone.

Secured to the top braces 21 at each end of the pressure frame 16 is aguide structure 62, each of which is adapted to receive a slidablecross-head 63 on which is mounted a rotative pressure roll 64. Attachedto each cross-head 63 and threadedly attached to its cooperating guidingmeans is a screw shaft 65 that can be utilized to adjust the verticalposition of the pressure roll 64.

As is best seen in FIGS. l and 2, one of the vertically adjustablepressure rolls 64 is located immediately above each of the drive rolls52 located adjacent opposite sides of the marking assembly 22. Uponadjustment of the pressure rolls 64, the distance between such rolls 64and their coacting drive rollers 52 can be selectively varied in orderto provide a positive drive between each coacting pair of rollers 52 androll 64 with the elongate tube 41 moving therebetween. ln addition,adjustment of the vertical position of pressure rolls 64 relative to thecoacting drive rollers 52 enables a predetermined frictional pressurewith the tube 41.

Thus it is seen that the pressure roll 64 and its coacting drive roller52 on the feed side of the marking assembly 22, together with theremaining drive rollers 52 on the feed support frame, cause the elongatetube 41 to be driven or pushed into the marking zone defined by plateopening 37, and more particularly by the space between the markingwheels 40. Furthermore, the pressure roll 64 and its coacting driveroller 52 located on the discharge side of the marking assembly 22engages the tube 41 and pulls such tube through the marking zone anddelivers it onto the discharge support frame.

A plurality of idler rollers 66 are rotatively mounted in alignedlongitudinal position along the discharge support frame between thespaced channels 15. These rollers r66 are adapted to receive and supportthe tube 41 as it is discharged from the marking zone. In order tobetter hold the tube 41, the idler rollers 66 are provided with aV-shape periphery.

A stop means is located at the end of the discharge support frame 13,and is best shown in FIG. 3. The stop means include a plate 67 fastenedto the legs 14 and to channels 15, the plate extending upwardly abovethe idler rollers 66. A bumper element 70` is pivotally mounted to thetop of plate 67 and is adapted to engage the end of the tube 41 as it isdischarged from the marking Zone and moved along the idler rollers 66.

Mounted on the back of plate 67 is hydraulic cylinder 71 in which apiston 72 is operatively received. A rod 73 attached to the piston 72extends outwardly through the cylinder 71 and extends through the plate67 to engage the rear side 0f bumper plate 70. It is seen that when tube41 engages the bumper plate 70, movement of the tube 41 is halted. Toprovide a cushioning action, the piston rod 73 is moved rearwardly underthe hydraulic loading of piston 72 in cylinder 71.

After the tube 41 is halted upon engagement with the bumper plate 70,check means is provided to preclude reentry of the opposite end of thetube 41 into the marking zone. This check means includes a bracket 74secured to channels 15 just beyond the drive roller 52 on the dischargeside of the marking assembly 22. Pivotally mounted on bracket 74 is acheck arm 75 that has one portion adapted to engage the end of the tube41 after the tube has passed over the arm and engaged the end bumperplate 70. Another part of arm 75 operates as a counterbalance tending tomove the arm about its pivotal connections so that the other previouslymentioned portion is disposed in its operative checking position asillustrated in full lines in FIG. 2.

As the tube 41 moves through the marking zone and onto the idler rollers66, the tube 41 engages the check arm 75 and pivots it to the lowerinoperative position illustrated by Ibroken lines in FIG. 2. Afterengagement with the bumper plate 70 and after passing over the arm 75,the check arm 75 pivots upwardly to the position illustrated in fulllines automaticallyY to abut the tube end and hence prevent rearwardmovement of the tube back into the marking zone.

It is thought that the operation and functional advantages of themarking machine has become fully apparent from the foregoing detaileddescription of parts, but for completeness of disclosure it Will benoted that the marking wheel mounting plate 31 Vcan be adjustedvertically on position-plate 23 in the manner previously described so asto align the marking Zone defined by the space between the markingWheels 40 accurately with the path of travel of the tube 41. Inaddition, the relative position of the marking wheels 40 is adjustedindividually to adapt the marking zone for a particular size tube 41.Then, the relative position of the pressure rolls 64 is adjustedrelative to their coacting drive rollers 52 in order to provide apositive driving force with the tube 41 moving therebetween.

As the tube 41 moves along the drive rollers 52 it is pushed into themarking zone between marking Wheels 40, such wheels rotating to impressindicia onto the surface ofthe tube 4l.

It is seen that the marking wheels 40 provide a relatively restrictivezone through which the tube 41 moves. If there are any surfaceirregularities or unevenness in contour in pipe 41, there will be atendency of the marking rollers 40 to move the tube 41 in a directionout of the path defined by the drive rollers 52. However, in view of theresilient liners provided on the drive rollers 52, this tendency isovercome. It is seen that the resilient neoprene liners on the driverollers 52 will compress to permit such movement of tube 41 withinallowable limits.

As the tube 41 moves through the marking zone, the tube is engaged bythe pressure roll 64 and its cooperating drive roller 52 located on thedischarge side of the marking assembly 2-2, such structure operating topull the tube through the marking zone. After marking, the tube 41 isdelivered onto the idler rollers 56. The tube 41 engages the bumperplate 70 to halt its movement. Rearward movement of the tube 41 causedby any reaction with the bumper plate 70* is precluded by engagement ofthe opposite end of the tube With the check arm 75, thus preventingre-entry into the marking zone.

Although the invention has .been described by making detailed referenceto a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to ybe understood in aninstructive, ratherl than in any restrictive sense, many variants beingpossible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a marking machine, an elongate feed support frame, an elongatedischarge support frame aligned longitudinally with the feed supportframe, a pressure frame intermediate said support frames, a positioningplate attached to the frames and extending upright between said supportframes, said positioning plate being provided with an aperture, amarking assembly plate mounted on said positioning plate, a slidableconnection between said assembly plate and said positioning plateenabling vertical adjustment of said assembly plate, the plate having anopening therethrough aligned with the said aperture, a plurality ofmarking wheels mounted on said plate and arranged equidistantly aboutsaid opening so as to engage an article moving therethrough, meansproviding an adjustable mounting for said wheels enabling the distanceyjustably mounted on said pressure frame on each side of said assemblyplate, each pressure roll being movable toward and away from a drivesupport roller adjacent the assembly plate so as to engage the articletherebetween, a resilient liner on each of the drive rollerscompensating for surface irregularities in the article upon engagementof the article with the marking wheels, a stop means resiliently mountedon the discharge support frame above the rollers on such frame, saidstop means being adapted to engage the forward end of the article as itis discharged through the plate opening and along the Wheels on thedischarge support frame, and a check member pivotally mounted on thedischarge support frame, said check member being pivotally moved out ofthe path of said article upon engagement with said article as thearticle passes through the plate opening, said check meinber beingpivotally moved upward to engage the rear end of said article as thearticle is discharged from the Vplate opening and strikes-the said stopmeans, said check vintermediate said support frames, a positioningmember attached to one of said frames and extending transversely of saidsupport frames in a substantially upright position between said supportframes, la plate detachably mounted to said positioning member andextending transversely of -said frames, said plate having la centeropening therethrough, a plurality of marking wheels mounted on saidplate and :arranged about said opening so as to engage an article movingtherethrough, said Wheels providing a rrestricted zone through which thearticle moves, a plurality of rollers mounted on each support frame andIaligned longitudinally on each side of said plate to :support thearticle in alignment with said opening, means for driving said rollerson the feed support frame so as 'to feed the article through theopening, and an 'adjustable connection between said positioning memberand said wheel mounting plate adapted to permit adjustment of saidcenter opening -in said plate relative to the alignment of said rollersso .as to adapt the marking assembly for articles of different sizes.

3. The combination and ,arrangement of elements as recited above inclaim 2 is characterized in that the said marking wheels are spacedequidistantly about said plate opening, and by the provision of meansadjustably mount- -ing 'said wheels on the plate so as to vary thespacing between said Wheels adapting the machine for articles ofdifferent sizes, and a resilient liner on the drive rollers adapted tolaterally embrace and support the article and thereby compensate forsurface irregularity in the article upon engagement with the markingwheels in the said restricted zone.

4. In a marking machine, an elongate feed support frame, an elongatedischarge support frame aligned longitudinally with the feed supportframe, a pressure frame intermediate said support iframes, a positioningmember attached to one of said frames and extending upright -between andtransversely of said support frames, a plate detachably mounted to saidpositioning member and extending transversely of said support frames,said plate having an opening therethrough, a plurality of marking wheelsmounted .on said plate and arranged about said opening so as to engagean article moving therethrough, a plurality of rollers mounted on eachsupport Iframe and aligned longitudinally 0n each side of said plate tosupport the article in alignment with said opening, the detachableconnection between said plate and said positioning member including aslide connection enabling rela-tive slidable movement of the plate `tosaid positioning member and relative movement to the rollers on the feedsupport frame, whereby to enable adjustment of the plate openingincident to the alignment of such opening with the last said rollers,and means for driving the rollers on the feed support frame so as tofeed the article through the opening.

5. In a marking machine, an elongate feed support fra-me, an elongatedischarge support frame aligned longitudinally lwith the feed supportframe, a pressu-re frame intermediate said support frames, a positioningplate attached to the rframes and extending upright between andtransversely of said support frames, said positioning plate beingprovided with an aperture, a marking assembly plate mounted on saidpositioning plate, a slidable connection between said assembly plate andsaid positioning plate enabling selective Vertical adjustment of saidassembly plate, the assembly plate having an opening therethroughaligned with the said aperture, a plurality of marking wheels mounted onsaid assembly plate and arranged equidistant- 1y about said opening lsoas to provide a relatively restricted zone through which the articlemoves and to engage an article moving therethrough, means providing anadjustable mounting for said wheels enabling the distance between `saidwheels to be adjusted, a plurality of rollers mounted on each supportframe and aligned longitudinally on each side of said assembly platesupporting the article in alignment with said plate opening, a driveshaft extending along the rollers on the feed support frame andextending across the assembly plate tothe first roller on the dischargesupport frame, a drive connection between each of the last said rollersand said drive shaft, power means rotating said drive shaft, a pressureroll adjustably mounted on said pressure frame on each side of saidassembly plate, each pressure roll Abeing movable toward and away from adrive support roller adjacent the assembly plate so sa to engage thearticle therebetween, and a resilient liner on eac'h of the driverollers adapted to laterally embrace the article and adapted tocompensate for surface irregularities in the article upon engagement ofthe article with the marking wheels which have a tendency to move thearticle out of the path defined by said drive rollers.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS737,409 Jackman Aug. 25, 1903 1,346,589 Cameron July 13, 1920 1,857,166Speicher May 10, 1932 1,877,674 LeMare Sept. 13, 1932 2,008,200 ClaussJuly 16, 1935 2,186,555 Phillips Jan. 9, 1940 2,326,671 Patterson Aug.10, 1943 2,348,537 Greenwood May 9, 1944 2,497,386 Zarobsky Feb. 14,1950 2,598,114 Dilworth May 27, 1952 2,676,533 Meyerholtz et al Apr. 27,1954 2,818,014 Jacquart Dec. 3l, 1957 2,824,512 Schar Feb. 25, 19582,976,981 Peras Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,540 Britain Nov. 26,1885

2. IN A MARKING MACHINE, AN ELONGATE FEED SUPPORT FRAME, AN ELONGATEDISCHARGE SUPPORT FRAME ALIGNED LONGITUDINALLY WITH SAID FEED SUPPORTFRAME, A PRESSURE FRAME INTERMEDIATE SAID SUPPORT FRAMES, A POSITIONINGMEMBER ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID FRAMES AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAIDSUPPORT FRAMES IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT POSITION BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTFRAMES, A PLATE DETACHABLY MOUNTED TO SAID POSITIONING MEMBER ANDEXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FRAMES, SAID PLATE HAVING A CENTEROPENING THERETHROUGH, A PLURALITY OF MARKING WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAIDPLATE AND ARRANGED ABOUT SAID OPENING SO AS TO ENGAGE AN ARTICLE MOVINGTHERETHROUGH, SAID WHEELS PROVIDING A RESTRICTED ZONE THROUGH WHICH THEARTICLE MOVES, A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS MOUNTED ON EACH SUPPORT FRAME ANDALIGNED LONGITUDINALLY ON EACH SIDE OF SAID PLATE TO SUPPORT THE ARTICLEIN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPENING, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROLLERS ON THEFEED SUPPORT FRAME SO AS TO FEED THE ARTICLE THROUGH THE OPENING, AND ANADJUSTABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID POSITIONING MEMBER AND SAID WHEELMOUNTING PLATE ADAPTED TO PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF SAID CENTER OPENING INSAID PLATE RELATIVE TO THE ALIGNMENT OF SAID ROLLERS SO AS TO ADAPT THEMARKING ASSEMBLY FOR ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZES.